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How to Avoid Anger during an Intervention

Addiction can create a lot of friction and pain between addicts and their loved ones. When asked to confront an addict through an intervention, family and friends may not know where to begin. What should they say, how should they say it? The situation can be extremely emotional, and intervention participants may feel the need to express these emotions when speaking to the addict. One of these emotions may certainly be anger, and this is a completely natural reaction to have. When people are hurt or taken advantage of, they may want to respond aggressively in order to defend themselves. However, anger is not something that should be used when addressing an addict in an intervention.
Friends and family must understand that the addict is no longer in control of her thoughts, feelings and behaviors; the addiction is in control. While the addict may have done or said things that are unacceptable, it was never her intent. Participants must keep this in mind, and understand that anger will only push the addict further away. If there is any chance of getting the addict into treatment, she must feel loved and supported by her friends and family. Anger will only cause the addict to feel alone, judged and under attack. Participants must control their anger while speaking to the addict or they should not be present.

How Do I Make an Intervention Run Smoothly?

One factor of an effective intervention is preparation. You cannot prepare enough. Every last detail of the intervention should be planned out ahead of time. Whoever wants to speak should always write out ahead of time what he wants to say, no matter what. The group should include only a small number of the addict’s closes friends and confidants (no larger than 10) and they must all be on the same page. The goal of the intervention is to get the addict into treatment and there is no room for excuses. Yes, an intervention can be nerve-racking, intense and even scary. To ensure that the intervention runs smoothly, most families hire an intervention specialist.

Ways to Keep Your Cool during an Intervention

If you feel overwhelmed with your emotions, you might try the following to help keep your anger under control:

Focus on the big picture

Focus on the positive

Forgive

De-stress

Learn and practice relaxation techniques

Do I Need Professional Intervention Help?

If you are considering having an intervention for a loved one you will want to do it right; an intervention gone wrong may result in the addict not getting the treatment help that she so desperately needs. To avoid this, you can get help from the experts in the field. Call our toll-free helpline today to speak with a rehab professional who can answer your questions about staging an intervention and can also connect you to an intervention specialist. Whether you are looking for information or would like to meet with a specialist who can assist you through this process, we can help. We are here 24 hours a day to assist you with your addiction recovery needs. Your call is free and it could be the catalyst to your loved one’s recovery. What are you waiting for? Call us today.